Method for accelerating the drying process in the treatment of hair,and drying hood for the application of said method



- April 28, 1970 A. GUHL 3,508,338

METHOD FOR ACCELERATING THE DRYING PROCESS IN THE TREATMENT OF HAIR, AND DRYING HOOD FOR THE APPLICATION OF S'AID METHOD Filed May 20, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY A. GUHL Apr METHOD FOR ACCELERATING THE; DRYING PROCESS IN THE TREATMENT OF HAIR, AND DRYING HOOD FOR THE APPLICATION OF SAID METHOD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 20, 1.968

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,508,338 METHOD FOR AC'CELERATIN G THE DRYING PROCESS IN THE TREATMENT OF HAIR, AND DRYING HOOD FOR THE APPLICA- TION OF SAID METHOD August Guhl, 7 Wilfriedstrasse, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland Filed May 20, 1968, Ser. No. 730,527 Claims priority, application Switzerland, May 26, 1967, 7,560/ 67 Int. Cl. A45d 20/04 US. Cl. 34-3 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method and apparatus for accelerating the drying process in the treatment of hair, wherein an ozonized air current in the head receiving hood portion of a hair dryer is caused to pass through transversely directed and reflected infra-red rays having intersecting paths, a diffused dispersion field being produced in the hood portion, acting directly on the hair from all directions, causing a more rapid heating and mixing of the air current, and acceleration of the oxidation process and drying time. The apparatus comprises a casing having a head receiving hood portion, a source of ozonized air for the hood portion, a source for infrared rays positioned in said head portion, and reflecting means for creating the diffused dispersion field.

Drying hoods with a built-in ozone generator, a heating element and a fan are already known. The current of hot air and ozone, generated in such hoods, serves to improve the oxidation processes caused when ozone is deposited on hair and scalp, and the unpleasant odour of the oxidation products formed in the treatment of the hair is nullified by the active oxygen which forms in the disintegration of the ozone and by the hydrogen peroxide occurring in the hydrolytic cleavage of ozonide. The formation of active oxygen, and the degree of deodorization, which mainly depends on the said active oxygen, are still unsatisfactory, in the present drying hoods. A further drawback of the latter is the relatively long drying time for the hair and scalp, due mainly to the use of an unsuitable heating apparatus.

Attempts to reduce the drying time by the use of an additional infra-red ray heating system have not brought the desired degree of success, as the infra-red heating rods, arranged in such a way that the hair and scalp are subjected to their direct rays at an excessively short distance, subject the head to a very uncomfortable degree of heat, in addition to which they detract from the healthy appearance of the hair.

The object of the present invention is a process and apparatus for accelerating the drying operation in the treatment of hair. The characteristic of the process resides in the fact that a current of ai containing ozone, on its way to the hair, in the interior of a drying hood, is caused to pass through two groups of direct and indirect infra-red rays intersecting a number of times. The intersecting rays are formed by lateral reflection, a difluse radiation being produced from the direct and indirect rays which has a favourable effect on the disintegration of the ozone, the drying being accelerated, and in the over-all dispersion field of the rays reaching the hair from all directions, owing to the added eflect of the current of air and of the intensified oxidation processes.

The drying hood used for the performance of the process is characterized, according to the invention, by the fact that in the lateral zone of the current of air carrying zone, in the drying hood, reflectors are provided by which the rays emanating from infra-red radiators are conveyed in divegent directions to the current of air, intersecting this latter several times and creating a diffuse over-all dispersion field. In this process and apparatus, owing to the fact that the current of air, carrying ozone, is intersected a number of times by the infrared rays, the current is heated through more rapidly and mixed more thoroughly, as a result of which the oxidation processes are rendered more effective and the time required for the drying of the hair considerably shortened.

The drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, the views being as follows:

FIGURE 1 a lateral view of the drying hood, partly in section;

FIGURE 2 a partial longitudinal section taken on to the line IIII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 a cross section taken on to the line III-III I of FIGURE 2.

A convex hood 1 open at the bottom is aflixed by its mounting ring 2 t0 the fork 3 of an articulated support, not shown in the drawing, so that the hood .can be pivoted as desired around pivot pins 4. To the lower edge of the hood 1, by means of a mounting ring 5, is connected a hood extension 6 of plexiglass, of which the rear part 6' is longer than the front part. The hood 1 is provided on its inside, and its plexiglass extension 6 is provided on the inside and on the outside, with a mirror coating 7. The upper part 8 of the hood, tapering in a certain zone, is provided on the central part with air inlet slits 9. That part of the hood which is surrounded by the mounting ring 2 is reinforced by an annular bakelite bracket 10, to which it is fastened. The bracket 10 is provided in the centre with a cruciform opening 11 to give passage to the flow of air. An electric motor 12 is mounted on the bracket 10 by means of tabs 12' formed by straps, and the motor shaft 13, which extends downwardly, bears the fan impeller 14. The latter serves to generate a current of air entering through the slits 9 and passing through the opening 11. The bracket 10 bears a supporting yoke 15, on which is mounted, above the motor 12, an ozone generator 16, which employs the principle of ozone production by silent discharge. The elements 17 and 18 are infra-red tubes which are attached by supports 19 to the lower side of the bracket 10. The infra-red source of radiation can also form an annular structure. With the infra-red tubes 17 and 18 are associated reflectors 20 which are attached by means of holders 21 to the lower side of the bracket 10. On the upper side of the bracket 10, furthermore, are mounted all the other electrical accessories, such as resistances 22, 23' and 24, and the condenser 25. On the internal surface of the hood part 6 are aflixed spacer ribs 26 which project radially and prevent contact between the persons head and the mirror surface 7. A grating 27 is mounted in the hood 1, as a means of preventing head contact with the fan impeller 14 and the infra-red radiators 17 and 18.

As may be seen from FIGURE 2, the reflectors 20 are positioned in relation to the infra-red tubes 17 and 18 in such a way that they only allow the direct infra-red rays a to make contact with the persons head as far as the plane E, which passes through the centre of the hood and which is symmetrical to the tubes 17 and 18, while all the other direct rays a emanating from the tubes 17 and 18 and not making direct contact with the head, and also the indirect rays a reflected by the reflectors 20, reach all the points on the entire internal surface of the hood and are reflected therefrom as rays b and reach the persons head from all sides.

The current of air enriched with ozone, and passing through the opening 11 of the bracket 10 in the direction shown by the arrow c, is subjected, in the radiation space of the groups of rays a, a and b, to intensive action and heating, in which process partof the ozone disintegrates into active oxygen, the energy previously absorbed being once again released by the creation of oxygen and the drying of the hair and scalp being accelerated. The oxidation processes which are inevitable in the bleaching, dyeing and Waving of the hair are prolonged and intensified by additional oxidation processes, which proceed via the formation of ozone and are thus retarded, the unpleasant odour of the gaseous oxidation products being completely nullified at the same time, by the active oxygen and by the hydrogen peroxide which forms in the hydrolytic cleavage of the ozonide reaching the hair.

Tests have shown that when the internal wall of the hood is used as a mirror surface for the reflection of the infra-red rays, the head can be subjected to a moderate and comfortable heat, even when used is made of forms of heating energy which could not be borne by the head and scalp iri the case of direct radiation, and that in conjunction with the deodorization of the vapours occurring in the treatment of the hair, arising from the high content of active oxygen, an extremely refreshing and revitalising atmosphere can be produced in the drying hood, as well as in the vicinity thereof.

The energy expended in the production of the ozone is released once again in the course of the disintegration of the ozone, particularly of that which reaches the hair and the scalp, as a result of which the hair drying process is accelerated in a surprising degree. The drying time obtained by the process and apparatus to which the invention relates corresponds to about half the drying time involved hitherto.

As a result of the intensive disintegration of the ozone in the hermetic infra-red drying space, it is naturally possible to use a more powerful ozone generator than hitherto.

What I claim is:

1. A method for accelerating the drying process in the treatment of hair, characterized in that an ozonized air current in the head receiving hood portion of a hair dryer is caused to pass through transversely directed and reflected infra-red rays having intersecting paths, a diffuse dispersion field being produced in the hood portion acting directly on the hair from all directions, causing a more rapid heating and mixing of the air current, and acceleration of the oxidation process and drying time.

2. A drying hood for accelerating the drying process in the treatment of hair, including (a) a casing having a head receiving hood portion;

(b) means for supplying a current of ozonized air to said head receiving hood portion;

(c) means in said head receiving hood portion for generating infra-red rays; and

(d) reflecting means in said hood portion for directing said infra-red rays in divergent directions relative to the current of air and in intersecting paths;

thereby forming a diffused dispersion field acting on the hair from all directions, causing a more rapid heating and thorough mixing of the air current, and accelerating the oxidation process and drying time.

3. A drying hood in accordance with claim 2, said reflecting means including reflectors adjacent said infrared ray generating means for directing at least a portion of said rays generallylaterally and transversely of the path of said air current.

4. A drying hood in accordance with claim 2,

(1) said reflecting means including reflectors adjacent said infra-red ray generating means for directing at least a portion of said rays generally laterally and transversely of the path of said air current; and

(2) reflector surface means on the interior wall of said head receiving hood for redirecting said lateral rays generally toward the center of said hood and in a path intersecting direct rays from said infra-red generating means.

5. A drying hood in accordance with claim 4, said reflector surface means comprising a mirror coating on at least a portion of the interior surface of the head receiving hood portion.

6. A drying hood in accordance with claim 2,

(1) said infra-red ray generating means comprising a pair of spaced tubes; and

(2) said reflecting means including reflectors adjacent to and behind said tubes, reflecting at least a portion of the rays towa d the outside and obliquely downwardly.

7. A drying hood in accordance with claim 2,

(1) said infrared ray generating means being annular in shape;

(2) said reflecting means including an annular reflector adjacent to and behind said annular means, reflecting at least a portion of said rays toward the outside and obliquely downwardly.

8. A drying hood in accordance with claim 2, said means for supplying a current of ozonized air including an air impeller mounted between said infra-red ray generating means and the lower head receiving open end of said hood portion.

9. A drying hood in accordance with claim 2, said reflecting means including reflecting surfaces having different optical axes of reflection.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,004,540 10/1961 Ronzi 34-99 X 3,053,233 10/1962 Guhl 34-36 X 3,086,534 4/1963 Gorter et al 34- 99 X WILLIAM E. WAYNER, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 132-7; 34 -36 

